June 1, 1894.] Supplemfi}}t to thp ^'^ Trnpical AgHmlhirist. 
859 
difference of time is not so great and striking in 
the latter case. The paddy on a cliiy soil 
steadily develops its stem and leaf before its 
ears are formed, whereas that on a sandy soil 
runs too quickly to grain, even before the culm 
is properly grown, seeming as tliough it were 
instinctireiy impatient to reproduce its kind, sus- 
pecting that the soil on which it grows could 
not support it very long nor afford sufficient 
nutriment for the full formation of the culm 
as well as the grain. 
Now it is very probable that the early 
flowering of the jute grown here may be 
also, for similar reasons, largelj' due to 
the sandy nature of the soil. The truth 
or otherwise of this inference may be fully 
ascertained by comparing the results of the 
experiments in jute culture that are being car- 
ried on by the Agricultural Instructors in 
different parts of the Island, carefully noting 
the nature of the soil in each case. Of course 
the state of the weather may also have some- 
thing to do with the flowering ; thus dry cool 
weather is said to favour the formation of seed. 
But I should think tlie influence of the soil is 
much greater; and if, as I have said, it can 
be proved by further experiments that ihe 
relative effects of a sandy and of a clayey soil 
on the growth of jute are similar to those 
above noticed, we may well draw the inference 
that clayey and loamy soils are better suited 
for tlie jute than a sandy soil. In growing 
jute our object is to get a thick long stem 
before it flowers, and the higher the plant grows, 
the longer and consequently, caeteris paribus, the 
more valuable will be the fibre ; and as has 
been shown in the case of dhall and paddy, a 
clayey soil favours such results, while a sandy 
soil produces a stunted growth. 
E. T. HOOLE. 
ZOOLOGICAL NOTES FOR AGRICULTUEAL 
STUDENTS. 
The fifth order of existing birds is the Scansores 
or climbers. Tiiey are distinguished by tlie fact 
that the feet have four toes each, of which 
two are turned backwards and two forwards. 
This arrangement enables them to climb witli ease 
and readiness. Among the Seansores come the 
cuckoos, wood-jieckers, parrots, lories, parakeets, 
love-birds, and macaws. In the parrots the 
liooked beak aids Ihe birds in clirabinf,'. 
'I'he sixtli order of existing birds is the Li.^e.i- 
soren or perching birds. Tliey are likewi.se dis- 
tinguislied l)y tlie cluiructers* of the feet which 
are cliiflly adapted tor building the nest and 
for pt'rcliing on trees ; tlie toes are slender, 
flexibh', and moderately elongated, with long, 
pointed and slightly curved claws. The feet 
Invve lour tors each, tliree in front and one behind, 
but the form of the beak varies much. The order 
Insessores is by Fur the most numerous of the 
flivisions of birds, mid includes ito mention a few 
g"0(l .'xaniplcs) the crows, jays, magpies, the 
humming birds, swallows and swifts. Tlio edible- 
nest .swift is known as CoHucnlia fraticica. 
Naturalists are still divided as to the origin of 
the isingluss-like matter that enters so largely 
into the composition of these no3ts ; but the bird 
has on either side of the gullet two large glands, 
which if pressed, in a bird just shot, emit a viscid 
matter, which doubtless is the substance used in 
nest-building. In the caves where these nests are 
found, there are generally large accumulations 
of guano useful as manure. 
The Raptores or birds of prey are characterised 
by the form of the beak, which is adapted for 
tearing animal food. The upper mandible of 
the bill is strong, curved, sharp-edged and sharp- 
pointed, often armed with a lateral tooth. The 
body is extremely muscular ; the legs are robust, 
usually short, with three toes in front and one 
behind ; all the toes being armed with strong, 
curved, crooked claws or talons. All the raptorial 
birds live upon the flesh of other animals, which 
they either kill for themselves or find dead, and 
tlieir flight is generally extremely rapid and 
powerful. The birds of prey are divided into 
the two sections of the nocturnal birds of prey 
which hunt by night, and the diurnal birds of 
prey which hunt by day. In the former section 
is tlie single family of the owl, in the latter 
are the falcon.s, hawks, eagles and vultures. 
Some birds are friends of the agriculturists 
from the fact of their being insect destroyers, 
while others do damage to agricultural produce. 
The purely insectivorous birds of India include 
the crowtits, babbling thrushes, solitary bab- 
blers, ground babblers, loras and green bulbuls, 
king crows, creepers, warblers, strikes, mini- 
vets, flycatchers, chats, redstarts and robins, 
hedge-sparrows, swallows, wagtails and pipits, 
ground thrushes, swifts, goatmakers, wood- 
peckers, hoopoes, bee-eaters, rollers, trogons, and 
cuckoos. 
The following are the birds of mixed diet, partly 
insectivorous and partly fruit and grain eating, 
in varying proportions : tits, sibias, white-eyes, 
bulbuls, nethatches, orioles, starlings and mynas, 
thrushes, finches, larks, sunbirds, flower-pickers, 
pheasants, partridges, button quails, rails, cranes, 
bustards and warders of all sorts. 
The frugivorous or fruit-eating birds are the 
hill mynahs, weaver birds, liombills, barbets, 
parrots, pigeons and sand grouse. Lastly, the 
omnivorous birds comprise the crows and storks. 
As a matter of agricultural interest it may be 
mentioned that the manure of birds of all kinds 
forms a most valuable fertilizing agent, being 
particularly lich in nitrogen. 
THE SPO^'QE-BEARING CUCUMBER. 
Under tlie mime of "luffa" or "Cucumber 
Sponge " tlie sl;eleloiis of this fruit are exported 
in compressed bales from .lapan and Egypt. 
The botanical word " luffa " is derived from 
the word " luft," by which name the fruit is 
known in J'^gvpt. From a very early period 
the reticulati'd skeletons of luffa were used by 
the Egyi)tiaiis in their bath-rooms. .*>ponge- 
bearing cucumbers are formed growing in liot 
countries: the .skeletons of some varieties an- 
thick and strong, of others thin and tlelicntc. 
Like onliiiary cucumliers some are edible and 
are grown for the table, while others are more 
or less medicinal. As the reticulation forms at 
a late period, the luffa, when of an edible 
sort, can readily be cooked as u vegetable 
